Thoughts Of A Crooked Mindhttps://rehmanjafar.com
By Jafar Rehman
Wed, 16 Jan 2019 20:35:27 +0000 en
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1 http://wordpress.com/https://s0.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngThoughts Of A Crooked Mindhttps://rehmanjafar.com
Resolution of 2019https://rehmanjafar.com/2019/01/14/resolution-of-2019/
https://rehmanjafar.com/2019/01/14/resolution-of-2019/#commentsMon, 14 Jan 2019 16:01:14 +0000http://rehmanjafar.com/?p=34867Continue reading Resolution of 2019]]>Wow we are in 2019 already and this is the 14th day. I thought I will check up on you guys and ask how you’ve been? Did you make some resolutions and did you stick to them?

We all know by now that resolutions don’t work or hardly work. Gym memberships go to waste, the cycle you bought gets parked and the new shoes are gonna be new for quite some time. However, if I was to talk about myself I’d say I made some small changes to my life. And they happened before the new year started and with so much of hard work and dedication and unease, I am kind of struggling right now. Change is such a hard thing but it is the only constant thing. Although Heraclitus said it in a better manner.

“The only constant in life is change”-Heraclitus

Shifting to another topic, I’ve had a few comments, messages and emails from some of you asking several things. Some were purely about why I am not posting anymore and when will post. So yeah here I am writing to you all. If you are reading this and have been to the blog earlier (works even if you haven’t) then tell me how you’ve been and feel free to share whatever you wrote recently. I’d love to read it.

]]>https://rehmanjafar.com/2019/01/14/resolution-of-2019/feed/5resolution 2019_rehmanjafarTraffic Signalhttps://rehmanjafar.com/2018/12/01/traffic-signal/
https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/12/01/traffic-signal/#commentsSat, 01 Dec 2018 05:58:22 +0000http://rehmanjafar.com/?p=34864Continue reading Traffic Signal]]>I was driving home the other evening after work. Slumped in my seat with some random radio channel on I stopped at a traffic signal.

Ahead of me was this Maruti WagonR, a very famous Indian hatchback. My initial reaction was wow someone finally stopped at the signal. But in a few seconds, I could see two kids playing in the car. Signal turned green and the cars moved, I was still behind this WagonR, both kids got up and peeped from the rear windshield and started shooting at me with imaginary guns. I did the same and they laughed and ducked.

Good nice small game I would play with my friends and cousins as well as a kid. Then I took over and drove home remembering how life changed. How I am doing things I never imagined to do. I am an ordinary Indian living a normal life and maybe that’s what’s right (or not?).

]]>https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/12/01/traffic-signal/feed/1light-light-signal-road-sign-46287rehmanjafarChai Street #1 – Chitli Qabarhttps://rehmanjafar.com/2018/11/06/chai-street-1-chitli-qabar/
https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/11/06/chai-street-1-chitli-qabar/#respondTue, 06 Nov 2018 09:49:22 +0000http://rehmanjafar.com/2018/11/06/chai-street-1-chitli-qabar/Chai Piyali: Chitli Qabar – an amalgamation of Urdu, Mughlai cuisine, and Tea! The old aisles have always fascinated me. The narrow roads, buzzing markets, the smell of spices, small shacks of street food, puzzling alleys, huge ivory houses, bemused tourists. Being for over 25 years in the same country, the city…]]>

The old aisles have always fascinated me.
The narrow roads, buzzing markets, the smell of spices, small shacks of street food, puzzling alleys, huge ivory houses, bemused tourists.
Being for over 25 years in the same country, the city looks so exotic!

Last weekend, after anticipating and continuous plannings, I finally visited Chandni Chowk with an aim. What was the aim you might wonder? It was simple, I wanted to find a really good cup of tea. So here I am presenting you the hidden gem of tea right from one of the oldest markets of Chitli Qabar.

But before we go there, let me tell you what was seen on the way!

Malo Tea Stall

As you keep moving through the narrower lanes of the Chitli Qabar market, one of the shops that will surely behold you is…

]]>https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/11/06/chai-street-1-chitli-qabar/feed/0rehmanjafarNeverending metro ridehttps://rehmanjafar.com/2018/10/11/neverending-metro-ride/
https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/10/11/neverending-metro-ride/#respondThu, 11 Oct 2018 17:05:16 +0000http://rehmanjafar.com/?p=34852Continue reading Neverending metro ride]]>The constantly moving pixelated text bothered me more than ever. The train kept passing stations, wheels rolling on the familiar tracks.
There were all sorts of warnings and instructions on the screen telling you to not carry your bag on the back to not crossing the yellow line. The text would keep flowing from right to left with very few paying attention to it. A pair of girls sat on the For Ladies Onlybusy with their phones, one scrolling and switching between various music apps. No wonder we have so many choices today. The other one would look over and see if she has arrived at the station she would want to get down at.

The door opens and a guy walks in and with him comes this cigarette smell. He has smoked recently and the smell of cigarette is all over his clothes. The stench bothered me a bit because it makes me sneeze. Coming back to my topic, a lot of us are rushing to work and in these short moments we are trying to catch and live life. A few songs, an episode, and even a book at times. This puts me in a different mood and I wish that the metro ride continues and it mostly does in a way. Doesn’t it?

]]>https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/10/11/neverending-metro-ride/feed/0rehmanjafarUncle and his radiohttps://rehmanjafar.com/2018/09/30/uncle-and-his-radio/
https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/09/30/uncle-and-his-radio/#respondSun, 30 Sep 2018 09:48:49 +0000http://rehmanjafar.com/?p=34849Continue reading Uncle and his radio]]>Mr. Abbas runs a ittar (attar) shop and must be over the age of 70. His little shop is on this slope that takes you to a temple. Very close to public parking, the shop would have sunlight during noon. A small entry in to the shop will reveal a bench where at max 3 people can sit.

Mr. Abbas is passionate about perfumes we call Ittar or Attar. He says his salaam and ask what would you like to see or buy. I replied some ittar and if you would have Oodh. Now, oodh is a famous ittar amongst those who use or have been using ittar for sometime. On asking for it, his eyes lit up and says I’ll keep that for the last.

He quickly went and gathered a few bottles and started telling us which was what smell. He slowly progressed towards stronger smells and finally to oodh. He said, “I don’t show oodh to a lot of people, because a lot of them don’t understand /appreciate the smell”.

There was a radio (see the photo) and I asked about it. He tells me it was very old and that he went for Haj this time. He went on and told me it was a great trip and he didn’t feel like coming back.

We soon purchased our bottles of perfumes and said our goodbyes. Mr. Abbas sounded genuine and very happy with his shop. A man who likes his fragrances and those who buy them.

I’d very much like to meet him someday again. Oh! Did I tell you that I bought a bottle of Oodh for my abba too? I think he’ll like it.

]]>https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/09/25/gullad-ka-ped/feed/0rehmanjafarBanana Guyhttps://rehmanjafar.com/2018/08/25/banana-guy/
https://rehmanjafar.com/2018/08/25/banana-guy/#commentsSat, 25 Aug 2018 12:25:26 +0000http://rehmanjafar.com/2018/08/25/banana-guy/Continue reading Banana Guy]]>There is a guy who has a suitcase and a bunch of bananas in a plastic poly bag. I reckon he is traveling. My best guess would be he is going home for Raksha Bandhan, a Indian festival where sisters tie Rakhi (a thread) on their brother’s wrists. The brother in return promises to protect her.

This whole thing is a big reason for people to travel home and families to come together. Anyway, the reason I started by telling you about him was bananas and the very fact that they were still raw. It bothered me a bit.

There are others in the metro, some are engrossed in their phones like me while others are sleeping. Life can indeed be tiring in a city like Delhi. The metro keeps going through the tunnel, doors open and people come in and go out but what remains constant is the fight for the seats.

I am quite comfortable because I was able to get a seat, so I’ll try and enjoy it because my station is hardly 10 minutes away. Small pleasures of life.

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I’m sorry for not replying to a few emails that were sent to me.I’ll reply to them once I’m home.